What exactly happens at a Young Worker’s Conference?

“You can stand me up at the gates of Hell, but I won’t back down.” – Tom Petty, 1989.

Okay, are we facing the forces of darkness? No. Is everything covered in lava, fire and brimstone? Also no. But it can feel that way. Particularly when you’re a younger person in 2026, the world feels like the last half hour of Ghostbusters.

I won’t do everyone the misery of recounting everything wrong with the world as it stands today. We all see it. From something as vast and ‘unstoppable’ as illegal wars, endless conflict, genocide and poverty to the day-to-day squeeze of the weekly shop and the cost of living. We’ve all felt that familiar, choking feeling swell up within us, when that utility bill slides under the door. We don’t get paid enough for the work we do, we don’t have the money to keep the roof over our heads, to keep the gas on, to spend time out with our families. In the Probation Service, we’re acutely aware of how undervalued staff are at every level.

And not to stand on my soapbox, but that’s why it’s more important than ever to be part of a union. Unions make change happen. They actually fight battles. They don’t promise changes in pre-election manifestos and make pledges on a public platform, only to bow to cynics and corporate overlords when they’re given the reins. Unions turn up, log in and grind out every day for millions of ordinary people across our country.

I have to give this ham-fisted prelude because it matters. We’re not privileged to live in a world anymore where we can sit back and do nothing. No one else is going to fight for us. We have to, in trade unions, in organised campaigns, in networks – like Napo’s Young Members’ network.

I had the pleasure of attending TUC’s 2026 Young Workers’ Conference on 21st-22nd March 2026, representing Napo as a delegate. It was held at the Hilton DoubleTree on Brighton’s seafront, rallying young members from across 22 of the TUC’s recognised member unions on behalf of workers in the Civil Service, in retail, in hospitality; on the railway lines, on the prison ward, in classrooms, musicians, podiatrists, seafarers and engineers.

It was one of the most empowering experiences of my life. Meeting so many like-minded delegates from trade unions all over the UK, fighting for better conditions for their staff, was incredible. We live in a really paradoxical time at the moment, when it comes to young people and trade unions. Never, it feels, has a generation been more aware of the world’s issues, of the worrying lurch to the far-right. Never have we felt more galvanised to rise up against it And yet it can feel like the only people who get involved with unions are those who have been in their respective organisations for decades. It’s not the ‘in’ thing anymore.

Being in a hall full of people twenty- and thirty-somethings, each determined to make a change in their workplace, was a reminder that there is still a massive voice from young people today. It was a fulfilling experience. It fanned the righteous, union-minded flame inside all of us.

The conference itself, despite running just two days, offered its delegates much. For those wondering what on earth a Young Workers’ Conference actually entails, there are motions, moved by unions and debated – sometimes vehemently – on topics like the rise of Reform UK, the housing crisis and neurodiversity. Each of these have the chance to be selected as official TUC policy, while the others carried are brought to the wider Trade Union Congress committee. There were workshops, which encouraged thought-provoking discussions on a range of issues affecting young workers today. There was a chance to meet fellow local delegates and brainstorm how to get others involved, raise our profile in respective regions and show unity.

Split across several rooms in the prestigious Hilton, the atmosphere could not have felt more welcome. You’d take it for granted, but everyone was lovely. The staff, the organisers, the delegates themselves; they were each there for the same reason. There were some fascinating speakers, such as Peter Wieltschnig, TUC Policy Lead, who gave us an in-depth exploration of the new Employment Rights Act. I had invigorating and illuminating conversations with representatives from other unions, such as TSSA (transport), NASUWT (education) and NGSU (Nationwide employees). There were exhibitors from a plethora of other unions and affiliated organisations, like Stand Up to Racism, The Sex Workers Union and the Morning Star Newspaper. I cannot stress just how much was on offer here, and how much I got to experience thanks to my membership in Napo.

I’d never been to an event like this before. The closest I’ve come to this kind of experience was a patch of social activism back in 2023. Ten years ago, the idea of coming to a new place, a new setting, with new people, would have terrified me. It still did, truth be told. But my attendance was vital. The attendance of every delegate there was vital. The hard work of the committee and those organising behind the scenes was vital. Without events like these, without bodies like the TUC or channels like young members’ networks, the future would look very dark indeed, for workers everywhere.

As it happens, things aren’t great. But they could be much worse. And sometimes the only things preventing that are unions. Are we going to stop wars? Maybe not. But we can change things on a local level. We can fight for better pay – pay that reflects the work and commitment of its workforce. We can fight for fairer conditions – conditions that allow people to feel safe and accommodated at work. We can fight for ordinary people, who have got into situations they can’t control, become embroiled in disciplinary procedures that aren’t fair, sickness policies that reduce people to a number. When we do that, who knows, maybe some things don’t seem quite so big anymore.

I am endlessly grateful to everyone who encouraged me to become a representative for Napo, and put myself forward as a delegate. 2026’s YW Conference was a shining light in a dark time. To anyone wondering if maybe an event like this is for you, go for it! Do it! It really is true what they say, sometimes you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone and put your name forward. You might just meet some incredible people, and come away reminded of why what we do is quite so vital.